Explain Earth-Sun Relationship

Question 1

State the latitudes for the following:
- Arctic Circle
- Tropic of Cancer
- Equator
- Tropic of Capricorn
- Antarctic Circle

Answer 1

Question 2

Define:
- Summer Solstice
- Winter Solstice
- Autumnal/Vernal Equinox
For the northern hemisphere w/ appropriate dates.

Answer 2

Summer Solstice: June 21
- Tropic of Cancer gets vertical rays from Sun

Autumnal Equinox: September 21
- Equator gets vertical rays from Sun

Winter Solstice: December 21
- Tropic of Capricorn gets vertical rays from Sun

Vernal Equinox: March 21
- Equator gets vertical rays from Sun

Question 3

State the latitudes for The Artic Circle and The Antarctic Circle;

Answer 3

Arctic: 66.5⁰N
Antarctic: 66.5⁰S

Question 4

Describe how the hours of sunshine received at various points of the earth’s surface are related to the tilt of the earth’s axis.

Answer 4

Question 5

State how hours of sunshine affect seasons:

Answer 5

Question 6

Describe how insulation is affected by the angle of incidence of the sun and earth’s surface.

Answer 6

Question 7

Explain what causes seasonal and daily temperature lag.

Answer 7

Coldest day occurs later than winter solstice day
Warmest day occurs later than summer solstice day
-why?-

Question 8

State the main and secondary sources of energy which drive the earth’s atmosphere: Types of waves emitted from: Sun and Earth

Answer 8

Sun is the main energy source: Shortwave
Earth is secondary: Longwaves

Question 9

State the relationship between an objects temperature and the wave lengths of the electromagnetic radiation it emits:

Answer 9

The warmer the body,
- the more energy emitted,
- the shorter the wavelengths,
- the larger the spectrum of wavelengths emitted.

Question 10

Shortwave radiation enters our atmosphere and is….: (4)

Answer 10

• absorbed
• reflected
• scattered
• refracted

Question 11

Define and give common meteorological units for wavelength and frequency:

Answer 11

Electromagnetic Radiation: (EM) measured in: microns (millionth of a meter)

Frequency is the number of cycles (crests or troughs) measured in Hertz (Hz)

Wavelength (< y >but upside-down) measured in microns

Question 12

Give (3) examples of electromagnetic radiation relevant to meteorology;
Include: shortwave, longwave, microwave.

Answer 12

Question 13

State typical wavelengths of short and long radiation:

Answer 13

Question 14

State two gases which absorb S/W radiation:

Answer 14

Oxygen ( 0² ) and water vapour (H²0) in the troposphere

Question 15

List (3) atmospheric components which absorb Longwave radiation:

Answer 15

Clouds
Water vapour
Carbon dioxide
(In that order)

Question 16

Define albedo:

Answer 16

• The measure of a surfaces reflectivity in percentage of reflected

Question 17

Compare clouds to ocean surface;

Answer 17

Question 18

Describe scattering and refraction of (shortwaves):

Answer 18

• Scattering: Shortwaves can be scattered by air molecules or water droplets (shorter scatters more = blue sky /Rayleigh scattering
• Refraction: Shortwaves are slowed down in the air by different amounts depending on wave length, causing the shortwave’s band to bend (refract) (rainbows)(impacts visibility and radar)

Question 19

Define “global heat budget”:

Answer 19

If not in balance, earth gradually warms/cools (average of 17⁰C)

Question 20

Define “greenhouse” effect:

Answer 20

C0² absorbs longwave trapping it from escaping into space.

Question 21

Explain why the Poles don’t get colder and colder over time;

Answer 21